Capping machine



c. L. TURNER CAPPING MACHINE Oct. 15, 1929.

Filegi May 24. 1926 r/s'czzz 0/4205: Ezra/5i,

4 Sheets-Sheet l I Oct; 15, 19 29. c. L. TURNER 1,731,600

CAPPING MACHINE v j Filed May 24; 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Arron Patented Oct. 15, 1929 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE CHARLES L. TURNER, OF GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA v GAPIBING MACHINE Application filed my 24,

This invention relates to'the placing of a line of tape, wire, string, or the like, around the closure member of a receptacle for fainvention to this specific application, since 1t 1s applicable to other types of receptacles.-

Cardboard (11808 are used as closure 111cm- 1 bers for milk bottles, these discs being placed 7 into the mouths of the bottles against annular shoulders. These cardboard discs are very cheap and easy to place and are eflicient in closing the bottle but are ordinarily in-' convenient to remove from bottle.

It has been found that if a tape or other suitable member is extended across the mouth of the bottle below the cap so that the ends extend to the outside, the cap may be removed very easily by holding one end of the tape and pulling upward on the other end thereof.

This use of a piece of tape forms the subject of my United States Patent iii-1,478,687 on bottle closures which issued December 25, 1923.

It is the broad object of my invention to machine for capping milk provide a capping a lift bottles and the like which will place member between the cap and the bottle in the manner disclosed in the above patent.

Tape or string from which such lift members may be economically formedis supplied in lines of great length wound upon spools.

It is another object of my invention to provide a capping machine which cuts each lift member from a spool of tape as it is applied in capping a bottle.

In the milk bottle capping machines in common use, a cap is discharged into a plunger chamber disposed downwardly over the mouth of a bottle and a plunger moves downwardly through said chamber to force the cap into the mouth of the bottle.

the mouth of theerated 1926. -Serial No. 111,262.

Another object of my invention, therefore, is to provide a machine having a novel shuttle which carries the end of a piece of tape, unwound from a spool into the plunger chamber of the machine, across the mouth of a bottle, beneath a closure cap and into the path of a capping plunger.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a capping machine having a novel body tape lock which grips the free end of the tape causing the tape to be pulled out from the head of the shuttle as the latter is withdrawn from the plunger chamber of the machine.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a capping machine, the shuttle of which has a shuttle tape lock permitting the tape to be drawn in but one direction through the shuttle.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a capping machine, the shuttle of which is removable from the machine for the purpose of threading the tape through the shuttle.

It is another object of my invention to provide a capping machine having a novel body. tape lock which is operated by the capping motion of the plunger of the machine to release its hold upon the free end of the tape.

An object of my invention is to provide a capping machine having a novel shears, op-

by the capping motion of the plunger. of the machine, which severs the tape, to remove a suitable cap lift member therefrom simultaneously with the release of the free end of the tape from the body tape lock of the machine.

A further object of my invention is to provide a capping machine having a catch which holds the body tape lock in open position until the free end of the tape is placed between the jaws of said lock whereupon said jaws will be released by the catch so as to grip the free end of the tape.

Other objects and advantages will be made manifest in the following description and accompanying drawings in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the capping machine of my invention in its relaxed position.

Fig. 2 is a Vertical sectional view of my capping machine in the same position in which it is shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my-capping machine as it descends upon a milk bottle f f)r the purpose of capping the mouth there- Fig. 4 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2, and showing the capping plunger of my capping machine at the position which it assumes during the operation of my machine immediately prior to the plungers engaginga cap for the purpose of ramming this cap into the mouth of a bottle.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 2 and showing the parts of the capping machine in the positions which they assume at the completion of the capping of a bottle.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4 and illustrating in plan the rocker arm by which the body tape lock of my invention is moved to tape releasing position.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the shuttle of my invention.

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally through the shuttle tape lock of my invention.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 2.

For the purposes of this description it will be considered that the right-hand portion of the capping machine, shown in the accompanying drawings, is the rearward end of this capping machine and the left-hand portion thereof is the forward end.

Referring specifically to the drawings and particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, 10 indicates a ram which is mounted for vertical reciprocation upon slide-ways of a machine similar in structure to a punch press and which, being well known in the art, is not shown in detail in the present application. The ram 10 is adapted to be reciprocated vertically over a path having definite upper and lower end positions; a slide head 11 is secure ly fastened to the ram 10-by bolts 12; each slide head 11 is adapted to carry a pair of the capping machines of my invention which .are identical in construction. Therefore,'for the purposes of the present description, only one of these capping machines is shown, onehalf of the slide head 11 being broken off at 13 as shown in Fig. 1. In the half 14 of the slide head 11, illustrated in the drawings, a cavity 15 is vertically formed. On opposite sides of the cavity 15 vertical grooves 18 and 19 are formed. Rigidly secured upon the upper face 19 of the slide head 14 is a standard 20 which has a horizontal lug 21 formed at the upper end thereof to overhang the portion of the cavity 15 which is disposed centrallv between the grooves 18 and 19. The

lug 21 has a central vertical aperture 24 formed therein.

r A. capping plunger 26 comprising a cappmg plunger rod 27 and a capping plunger head 28 is vertically disposed so that the upper end of the rod 27 passes upwardly through the aperture 24 and is retained there in by a collar 30 which is pinned to the upper end of the rod 27 by a pin 31. Secured medially to the capping plunger rod 27 by a pin 32 is a plunger member 33 which has an opening 34 in which the plunger rod 27 tightly fits. The plunger member 33 has a downwardly projecting cylindrical apron 36, the left-hand portion 38 thereof, as shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5, being enlarged to permit a rocker arm plunger chamber 40 to be bored upwardly from the lower face 41 of the apron 36 to a point half-way between the lower face 41 and the upper face 42 of the enlarged portion 38. Co-axially aligned with the chamber 40 and connecting the upper end thereof with the upper face 42 is a rocker arm plunger stem bore 43.

A. rocker arm plunger 45 is slidably disposed in the lower end of the chamber 40. A stem 46 is provided upon the upper end of the plunger 45 which passes upwardly through the bore 43 and is retained against downward displacement therefrom by lock nuts 47 threadedly received upon the upper end thereof. A compression spring 48 is disposed in the chamber 40 between the upper end thereof and the upper end of the plunger 45, thus the plunger 45 is rigidly held against downward displacement and is yieldably held in the chamber 40 against upward displacement.

Formed integrally with the lower portion of the apron 36 of the plunger member 33 are a pair of arms 50 and 51 which are oppositely spaced from each other at equal distances from the central vertical plane, upon which Figs. 2, 4 and 5 are taken. A horizontal web 54 joins the upper edges of the arms 50 and 51, the web 54 being provided with a hole 55. A cylindrical shear plunger 56 has a threaded stud 57 centrally provided upon the upper end thereof. The stud 57 projects upwardly through the opening to receive a nut 58 which tightens down upon the stud 57 to rigidly secure the shear plunger 56 to the web 54. The shear plunger 56 has a longitudinal channel 60 formed in the outer surface thereof, as shown, for a purpose to be described later. The lower portion of the shear plunger 56 is cut away on the side thereof which is opposite the channel 60 to form a face 61, the lower edge 62 of which forms the cutting edge of a moving shear blade 63 pro vided by the lower end of the plunger 56. At opposite ends of the edge 62, guide lugs 64 are formed for a purpose which will be described later.

Disposed about the plunger rod 27 and having its opposite ends bear against the lower face of the lug 21 and the upper face of the plunger member 33, respectively, is a compression spring 68; As will be seen, this the body 70 having a plunger chamber 72.

Closing the upper end of the chamber 72 is a vplunger cylinder head 7 3 in which is formed an aperture 74 through which the lower portion of the plunger rod 27 is adapted to slide. A semi-cylindrical apron 75 extends upwardly from the cylinder head 73 and is provided with a pair of outwardly projecting diametrically opposed guide rails 76 and 77. The guide rails 76 and 77 are so formed and so positioned as to form a neat sliding fit within the opposed grooves 18 and 19, respectively. In the upper surface of the plunger cylinder head 73 is formed a spring retaining recess which receives the lower end of a coil compression spring 81"which is disposed about the rod 27. The upper end of the spring 81 bears against the upper face 82 of a chamber 83 formed about the rod 27 by the apron 36. Formed rearwardly from the upper portion of the cylinder head 73 is a lug85 which has an aperture 86 formed therein for a purpose which will be described later.

Disposed about the spring 81 immediately above the cylinder head 73 and within the lower portion of the apron 75 is a central rocker arm 88. This rocker arm is pivotedas shown in Fig. 6 between a pair of pins 89 formed upon the ends of screws 90 which are threadedly received through a pair of opposite apertures formed through the rails 76 and 77. Formed upon the rear portion of the rocker arm 88 are a pair of projections 92 which have upper arcuate cam faces which are provided for a purpose which will be descriped later. The rocker arm 88 is formed to rock about the pins 89 sothat when-the projections 92 are resting against the cylinder head 73 an opposite portion 93 is raised out of contact with the cylinder head 7 3; as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Conversely, when the portion 93 is forced downward, as shown in Fig. 5, the lugs 92 are raised upwardly from the cylinder head 73.

Formed upon the forward portion of the cylinder 71 of the body casting 70 is an enlarged portion 95. A bore 96 is formed in the enlarged body portion toreceive, with a neat sliding fit, the shear plunger 56. The enlarged body portion 95 extends upwardly above the upper face of the cylinder head 73 to provide a vertical face 97. A screw 98 is threadedly received in an aperture formed in the face 97, the screw projecting forwardlyso that a pin 99 formed upon its forward end is disposed in the longitudinal groove 60 of the shear plunger 56. As the shear plunger 56 slides in thebore 96 it is retained against rotation thereon by engagement of the pin 99 with the walls of the groove 60.

The enlarged body portion 95 has a bottle cap magazine receiver 100 formed at the forward portion thereof. This magazine receiver 100 iscylindrical in shape and has a cylindrical bore 101 formed therein. Formed in the forward wall 102 of the receiver 100 isa slot 103 which extends from the lower portion of the receiver 100 .to within a short distance of the upper end of the wall, as clearly shown in the drawings. The bore 101 is restricted in diameter near the lower end thereof to form a semi-annular shoulder ,105. A paper bottle-cap magazine tube 106 is adapted to be extended into the chamber 101 so that the lower end thereof contacts the shoulder and so that caps 107' will freely slide downwardly therefrom through a lower restricted portion 108 of the chamber 101 which is disposed below the shoulder 105.

Bearing lugs 109 and 110 are formed from the upper portion of the forward wall 102 and are oppositely spaced from each other an equal distance from the plane upon which the sectional View shown in Fig. 2 is taken. The lugs 109 and 110 are suitably apertured to receive a fulcrum axle 111 for a purpose which will be described later. The body casting 70 has a lower horizontal flat face 115 with which the plunger chamber 72, the

A pair of horizontal slide tracks and 121 are disposed so that upper faces 122 and 123 thereof are in mutual alignment and snugly contact at their rearward portions with the face 115 of the body casting 70. Screws 124 and 125 pass downwardly through the apertured lugs 117 and 118 through suitable apertures formed in the slide tracks 120 and 121. and are threadedly received in threaded apertures formed in a bottle guide member 126, thus rigidly securing together the casting 70 and the slide tracks 120 and 121 and the guide member 126. The member 126 will be described in detail later. A floor plate 130 is rigidlysecured to the lower faces 131 of the tracks .120 and 121 by screws 132. The tracks 120 and 121 have outer recesses 135 and 136 formed therein, respectively, so as to leave longitudinal parallel guide lugs 137 and138 flaring in opposite directions from the slide tracks 120 and 121. Secured by screws 139 to the slide tracks 120 and 121 in the recesses 135 and136' are stop members 140. The slide tracks 120 and 121 are so formed that when they are secured, as described, to the casting 70 they are separated by a space 145 which is of uniform width throughout its length, this space terminating at its rearward end approximately below the bore 96. On opposite sides of the space 145 inwardly extending parallel guide lugs 146 and 147 are formed upon slide tracks 120 and 121, respectively. In the upper faces 122 and 123 of the slide tracks 120 and 121, adjacent to the inner edges of the guide lugs 146 and 147, are formed shallow recesses 149 and 150. The recesses 149 and 150 form a cap feeding tongue slide-way 155. At the rear end of the space 145, the slide tracks are formed to provide a restricted passageway 160 of the same width as the distance between the guide lugs 146 and 147. The surfaces, forming this passageway 160, join at their rear end with surfaces formed upon the slide tracks 120 and 121 which form a cylindrical bore 163 which is (o-extensive and aligned with the plunger chamber 72. The rearmost, inner, lower portions of the slide tracks 120 and 121 are cut away to form a passageway 165, best shown in Fig. 5, the purpose of which will be described later. Secured to the slide members 120 and 121, so as to restrict the lower portion of the passage 165, is a lower jaw member 168 of a body line-lock 169. The lower jaw 168 has a curved forward face and a rearwardly recessed face 170. Rear vertical faces of the slide tracks 120 and 121 are recessed to provide a slide-way 172 in which an upper jaw member 173, having a forwardly recessed lower face 174, may slide vertically. \l'hen in its lowermost position the upper jaw 173 fits the lower jaw 168 so as to tightly grip any flexible member which might be disposed therebetween. A retaining plate 175 is secured by screws 176 to the rearmost faces of the guide slide tracks 120 and 121 so as to retain the upward jaw 173 in the recess 172. A stem 180 is threadedly received in a suitable aperture formed in the upper face of the upper jaw 173 and extends upwardly through a compression spring 181, through the aperture 86, and between the lugs 92 of the rocker arm 88. The upper end of the stem 180 is threaded to receive lock nuts 182. A washer 183 is placed upon the stem 180 below the lock nuts 182 so as to bear upon the arcuate upper surfaces of the lugs 92. \Vhen the portion 93 of the rocker arm 88 is depressed and the lugs 92 are thereby elevated, the lugs 92 bear against the washer 183 and lift the stem 180 and the upward jaw 173 from the position in which they are shown in Fig. 4 into the position in which they are shown in Fig. 5.

At its upper end, a light leaf spring 190 is secured by screws 191 to the rearmost face of the lug 85. The spring 190 extends downwardly from this fastening being provided on its inner surface at its lower end with a catch lug 192. The catch lug 192 is disposed at such an elevation that when the rocker arm 88 is operated, so as to draw the rocker upper jaw 173 upwardly, the catch lug 192 will be urged inwardly by the spring 190 so as to be disposed beneath the upper jaw 173 and re tain this jaw in uppermost position when the rocker arm 88 is released from the actuating force.

The bottle guide member 126 has a conical flange 195 which provides an inner conical face 196' which terminates at its upper end in a downwardly disposed annular pocket 197. Formed centrally in the bottle guide member 126 is a cylindrical chamber 199 of the same diameter and in alignment with the chambers 72 and 163 which are formed thereabove. When the upper end 200 of a bottle 201 is upwardly received in the annular pocket 197 of the bottle guide 126, the open ing 199 is disposed concentrically with the bottle 201 and immediately above the month 203 thereof as clearly shown in Fig. 4.

Secured to the lower faces of the slide tracks 120 and 121, by screws 205, immediately in the rear of the floor plate 130, is a fixed shear blade 206, the forward edge 207 of which is disposed directly beneath the edge 62 of the moving shear blade 63 when the shear plunger 56 is in raised position as shown in Fig. 4.

A slide member 210, as shown in Fig. 9, is provided with grooves 211 and 212 Which are adapted to slidingly receive the guide lugs 146 and 147, respectively, of the guide tracks 120and 121. The slide member 210 has a cross bar 215 formed at the forward end thereof which is disposed above the slide tracks 120 and 121 as clearly shown in Fig. 3. At opposite ends of the cross bar 215 are formed downwardly opening notches 216 in which the forward ends 217 of links 218 are disposed to be pivotally mounted upon pins 219. The rear ends 220 of the links 218 are pivotally secured by cap screws 221 to the lower ends 222 of lever arms 223. The upper ends 224 of the lever arms 223 are suitably apertured to be received upon the opposite ends of the fulcrum shaft 111 which project outside of the lugs 109 and 110 as shown in Fig. 3. The ends 224 of the lever arms 223 are secured to the ends of the fulcrum shaft 111 by set screws 225. At a comparatively short distance downwardly on the lever arms 223 from the ends 224 thereof, the forward ends of links 230 are pivotally secured by cap screws 231. The rear ends of links 230 are pivotally secured by cap screws 232 to the forward ends of the plunger member arms 50 and 51. The slide member 210 is adapted to be slid between rearward and forward positions upon the tracks 120 and 121 by the upward and downward movement of the plunger member 33, relative to the body 70. The slide member 210 is illustrated in its rearward and forward positions, respectively, in Figs. 2 and 5.- As will be seen in Fig. 2, the slide member 210 extends rearwardly from the cross bar 215 when in its rearmost' position to the inner or rear end of the space 145.

The member 210 has an upper face 240 which is disposed on the same level as the upper face of the cap feeding tongue slideway 155. The slide-way 155 extends rearwardly upon the upper faces of the slide tracks 120 and 121 to a point approximately half-way across the capping plunger cham' ber 72 as clearly shown in the drawings. Secured to the upper face 240 of the slide member 210 and adapted to slide in the slide-way 155, is a cap feeding tongue 245. The tongue 245 is riveted to the slide member 210 by riv ets 246. The inner or rearmost' end of the tongue 245 has an arcuate face 247 of a radius which permits it to fitthe circular periphery of the caps 107. As the slide member 210 moves between its forward and rearward po sitions, as shown in Figs. 5 and 2, respectively, the cap feeding tongue 245 engages the lowermost of the caps 107 which rests against the upper faces of the recesses 149 and 150 at the bottom of the magazine receiver 100 and feeds this cap rearwardly along the slideway 155 until it is forced into the capping plunger chamber 72.

The slide member 210 has a longitudinal slot channel 250 formed in the lower surface thereof, throughout its length. Formed centrally in the forward portion of the slide member 210 is a bore 251 which is adapted to receive a spring pressed shuttle catch 252 which is provided with a stem 253 which extends upwardly through the bore 251 and through a restricted upper portion thereof to receive a thumb nut 254 which rests upon the upper surface of the cross bar 215 and retains the catch 252 against projecting more than a given distance downwardly out of the bore 251. A compression spring 255 is disposed in the bore 251 and urges the catch 252 into its lowermostposition. Thus downwardly extended the shuttle catch 252 projects into the bayonet slot channel 250.

Adapted to beremovably mounted upon the slide member 210 is a shuttle 260. The shuttle 260 has a flat stem 261 which is narrowed at its head end at 262 and which is upwardly bent at its forward end to form a pul ley mounting lug 263. Rigidly secured to the forwardface of the lug 263, is a sheet metal pulley frame 264 in which. a pair of traveling line guide pulleys 265 and 266 are pivotally mounted.

A hole 268 is formed in the flat stem 261 inv such a position that when the shuttle 260 is completely inserted into the channel 250, the

0 276 is riveted to one side of the lower face of the shuttle head 27 2 by rivets 277. The line guide 27 6 projects across and closes the shuttle head portion of the channel 273 and contacts the lower face of the shuttle head on the opposite side of the channel 273 from that to which it is riveted. A narrow tip 278, formed upon the head end of the guide 27 6, is bent inwardly to bear against the bottom of the channel 273 at the extreme tip of the shuttle head 27 2.

A shuttle line-lock 280 is provided upon the stem 261 of the shuttle 260. I The line-lock 280 comprises a slide member 281 WhlCll 1s riveted to the stem 261 by rivets 282 which pass through slots 283 formed in the sllde member 281 and are securely fastened in the stem 261. The heads of rivets 282 retain the slide member 281 so that it may freely slide upon the stem 261 a distance which is governed by the length of the slots 283. The

slide member 281 has notches cut from a side fulcrum axle 111, between the lugs 109 and 110, is a sleeve 295 from one end of which a I swinging arm 296 projects as clearly shown in Fig.3. An idler pulley 296? 1s pivotally mounted by a cap screw 297 on the lower end of the swinging arm 296. A coil spring 298 edge at an end thereof which is disposed opis disposed about the sleeve 295, one end I thereof being hooked around the arm 296 and the opposite end thereof resting in engagement with the magazine wall 102 of the magazine receiver 100, so that the spring 298 exerts a pressure upon the arm 296 which tends to swing this arm into the downward position in which it is shown in Fig. 2.

The operation of my invention is as' fol-, lows:

When reciprocating without capping a bottle, the capping machine of my invention hangs from the ram 10 in the relaxed position in which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Before the capping machine may operate it is necessary that a line be threaded through themachine. While wire or string might be used to form the lifting members which my machine installs with the bottle cap, it is found to be advantageous to use fibrous tape for this purpose. The machine is therefore illustrated as using this tape and in the description of the operation the line from which the lifting members are formed will be referred to as tape. This tape is supplied in spools upon which pieces of considerable length are wound. To thread the machine the shuttle catch 252 is lifted upwardly by manually grasping the thumb screw'254, and the shuttle is drawn from the channel 250. The end 300 of the tape 301 is drawn from the spool (not shown) and slipped underneath the sheet metal line guide 276 as clearly shown in Fig. 7. The tip 278 of the guide 277 then firmly grips the end of the tape. The tape 301 1s threaded forwardly through the channel 273, above the lug 287, below the lug 286, above the lug 285, and then downwardly between the beveled surfaces 281 and 289, to be passed rearwardly in contact with the heads of the rivets 282, around the traveling guide pulleys 265 and 266, and around the swinging idler pulley 296 as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The shuttle 260 is then inserted and locked in the channel 250 and the capping machine is ready for operation.

A suitable table is provided upon which centering means are provided against which a milk bottle 201 may be placed so as to be disposed beneath the bottle guide 126 and in co-axial alignment therewith. Each bottle 201, filled with milk, is placed in this position while the ram 10 is carrying the capping machine upwardly in its relaxed position, 1n which it is shown in Figs. 1 and 2. As the ram 10 moves downwardly the bottle guide 126 engages the upper end 200 of the bottle 201 which stops the downward movement of the capping machine body 70. The capping plunger 26, and the plunger member 33 and the parts rigidly associated therewith, continueto be moved. downwardly. At the time contact is made between the bottle guide 126 and the upper end of the bottle 201, the parts of the capping machine are positioned as shown in Fig. 2, a bottle cap 107 being disposed, as shown, in the capping plunger chamber portion 163 resting upon the upper face of the stem 261 of the shuttle 260. As the plunger member 33 continues downwardly-after the body is haltedin its motion, the arms 50 and 51 move downwardly with respect to the fulcrum axle 111 which is journalled in the lugs. 109 and 110 formed on the body 70, and the links 230 operate upon the lever arms 223 to swing these for.- ward from the position in which they are shown in Fig. 3 to the position in which they are shown in Fig. 5. This movement of the lever arms 223 is transmitted through the links 218 to the slide member 210, causing the'latter to slide forwardly from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, through the position in which it is shown in Fig. 4, to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 5.

It will be noted that in Fig. 2 the shuttle head 272 is projecting rearwardly through the opening 165 and between the upper and lower jaws 173 and 168 of the body-line-lock 169. It will also be seen that the tip of the shuttle head 272 engages the lug 192, forcing this lug outwardly against the pressure of its spring 190. As the shuttle 260 is withdrawn from the capping plunger chamber 72 as just described, the shuttle head 272 is first withdrawn from between the jaws 17 3 and 168. As the lug 192 is allowed to move forwardly under the action of its spring 190 it comes into contact with the rearmost vertical face of the upper jaw 173. Thus the downward movement of the jaw 173 is not restricted and as soon as the shuttle head 272 is completely withdrawn from beneath the jaw 173 it snaps downwardly under the pressure of the spring 181, firmly gripping the free end 300 of the tape 301 against the lower jaw 168 as shown in Fig. 4. With the free end 300 of the tape thus locked between .the jaws 173 and 168, the tape 301 resists being drawn forwardly with the shuttle 260 and tends to move the shuttle slide member 281 into the disengaging position in which it is shown in Fig. 8. In this figure the shuttle 260 is moving in the direction of the arrow 303 while the tape 301 is standing still,

relative to the position of the machine or downwardly to rest upon the upper surface of the tape 301. It will also be noted in Fig. 4: that the shear plunger 56 and the rocker arm plunger 45 have moved downwardly due to their being rigidly mounted upon the plunger member 33.

As the capping plunger head 28 approaches its lowermost position, in which it is shown in Fig. 5, the edge 62 of the moving shear blade 63 forces the tape 301 down wardly and severs it between its edge 62 and the edge 207 of the fixed blade 206. Simultaneously with this shearing the rocker arm plunger 45 engages the portion 93 of the rocker arm 88 and tilts the rocker arm 88, as shown in Fig. 5, to raise the upper jaw 173 of the body line-lock 169 to its extreme uppermost position. When the upper jaw 17 3 is in this position the catch 192 is free to be urged by its spring 190 to an inward position'beneath a lower horizontal face of the upper jaw 173. Thus a portion of the tape 301 is cut off as it is applied with the cap 107 to form a lifting member 306 beneath this ca when the latter is disposed in the mouth of the milk bottle 201. Moreover, the end 300 of the tape is simultaneously disengaged and the body line-lock l69 is moved to and retained in open position. As the ram 10 continues downwardly to effect the capping operation of the capping machine, the lower face 41 of the plunger member 33 comes in contact with an upper face of the enlarged portion 95 of the body casting 70, as shown in Fig. 5, and the downward position of'the plunger head 28 relative to the bottle 201 is thus determined. Should the ram 10 continue to move downward a distance after the plunger member 33 is thus halted, the bottle 201 will be guardedagainst injury by the compressing of the spring 68 as shown in Fig. 5.

From its downward position the ram 10 starts upwardly, the lug 21 engaging the collar and lifting vertically the plunger rod 27 and the units assembled rigidly therewith. The compression spring 81 expands during the first portion of the upward movement of the rod 27 so as to separate the body casting 70 and'parts mounted thereon from the plunger member 33. This retains the bottle guide 126 in engagement with the bottle 201 until the plunger head 28 has assumed its uppermost position, in which it is shown 1n Fig. 2, and the cross bar 215 has engaged the stops 140. The end of the upper stroke of the ram 10 is not reached until the capping machine has been raised clear of the capped bottle 201 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The capped bottle may then be removed and an uncapped bottle put in its place for capping during the next downward movement of the capping machine.

On the upward movement of the ram 10, just described, the arms 50 and 51 move upwardly with the plunger member 33 and the links 230 draw the lever arms 223 rearwardly, and this motion is transmitted by links 218 tothe slide member 210 so as to return the slide member 210, the cap feeding tongue 245 and the shuttle 260 to the positions in which they are shown in Fig. 2. As the shuttle starts on this return movement it carries the tape 301 with it by virtue of the shifting of the shuttle slide member 281 so that the faces 271 and 289 grip the tape 301 and prevent its'being unthre'aded from the shuttle 260. Thus the fresh free end 300 of the tape 301 remains projecting from the shuttle head 272. As the shuttle head 272 moves across the capping plunger chamber 72 and through the opening 165 in the far end thereof, the rounded face 275 of the shuttle head slides beneath the raised upper jaw 173 of the body line-lock 169 and retains this jaw in upward position when the tip of the shuttle head 272 engages the catch lug 192 and dis engages this lug from its retaining position beneath the upper jaw 173. Upon its return to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, the cap feeding tongue 245 forces the next lowest cap 107 from the magazine chamher 108 into the plunger chamber 72 where it rests upon the upper face of the shuttle 260 as shown in Fig. 2. The capping machine has now completed a cycle of operation, this cycle being repeated as often as the ram 10 makes a downward and upward movement providing that abottle 201 has been placed beneath the bottle guide 126. It

is well understood, however, that if a bottle 201 is not placed beneath the guide 126the capping machine will descend and rise, as a unit, with the ram 10'without functioning in the manner above described. The springurged idler pulley 296 is provided for the purpose of taking up the slack in the tape 301 when the shuttle 260 is in tape feeding position, so that when the shuttleis being withdrawn from the chamber 72 and the tape is sliding through the shuttle, a certain amount of slack will be accessible in the tape 301 above the shuttle 260. i

I claim as my invention:

1. In a bottle capping machine the combination of: a plunger; means for recipro eating said plunger over a given path; means for confining a closure member in said path; means for feeding a lift member across said path on the opposite side of said closure member from said plunger; means for rigidly of said path and functioning to place said lift member under tension; and means for disengaging said rigidly holding means from said lift member when said plunger forces said closure member into the mouth of a bottle.

'2. In a. bottle'capping machine the combination of: a plunger adapted to operate to force a cap into the mouth of a bottle; means for operating said plunger; a body slidable relative to said plunger, a chamber being formed in said body, the head of said plunger operating in said chamber; a magazine for retaining a supply body; a feeding tongue slidable upon said body to feed a bottle cap from said magazine into said chamber; means for operating saidv line; and locking means provided upon said shuttle which causes said line to move with said shuttle when said shuttle slides toward said chamber but allows said line to be paid 'out from said shuttle when said shuttle is moved away from said chamber.

3. In a bottle capping machine the combination of:-a plunger adapted to operate of bottle caps upon said to force a cap into the mouth of a bottle; means for operating said. plunger; a body slidable relative to said plunger, a chamber being formed in said body, the head of said plunger operating in said chamber; a magazine for retaining a supply of bottle caps upon said body; a feeding tongue slidable upon said body to feed a bottle cap from said magazine into said chamber; means for operating said tongue by movement of said plunger; a shuttle slidable with said tongue upon said body to feed'a line across said chamber below said cap; locking means provided upon said body which grips the free end of said line; locking means provided upon said shuttle which causes said line to move with said shuttle when said shuttle slides toward said chamber but allows said line to be paid out from said shuttle when said shuttle is moved away from said chamber; and means for cutting off a piece of said line thus paid out.

4. In a bottle capping machine the combination of: a plunger adapted to operate to force a cap into the mouth of a bottle; means for operating said plunger; a body slidable relative to said plunger, a chamber being formed in said body, the head of said plunger operating in said chamber; a magazine for retaining a supply of bottle caps upon said body; a feeding tongue. slidable upon said body to feed a bottle cap from said magazine into said chamber; means for operating said tongue by movement of said plunger; a shuttle slidable with said, tongue upon said body to feed a line across said chamber below said cap; locking means provided upon said body which grips the free end of said line; locking means provided upon said shuttle which causes said line to move with said shuttle when said shuttle slides toward said chamber but allows said line to be paid out from said shuttle when said shuttle is moved away from said chamber; and means for cutting off a piece of said line thus paid out, said last mentioned means being operatively associated with said plunger and adapted, to cut said line assaid plunger moves upon the cap in said chamber to force said cap 'into the mouth of a bottle.

5. In a bottle capping machine the combination of: a plunger adapted to operate to force a cap into the mouth of a bottle; means for operating said plunger; a body slidable relative to said plunger, a chamber being formed in said body, the head of said plunger operating in said chamber; a magazine for retaining a supply of bottle caps upon said body; a feeding tongue slidable upon said body to feed a bottle cap from said magazine into said chamber; means for operating said tongue by movement of said plunger; a shuttle slidable with said tongue upon said body to feed a line across said chamber below said cap; locking means provided upon said body which grips the free end of said line; locking means provided upon said shuttle which causes said line to move withsaid shuttle when said shuttle slides toward said chamber but allows said line to be paid out from said shuttle when said shuttle is moved away from said chamber; means for cutting off a piece of said line thus paid out; and means for releasing the hold of said body line-locking means upon the free end of said line approximately at the same time said cutting means cuts said line.

6. In a bottle capping machine the combination of: a. plunger adapted to operate to force a cap into the mouth of a bottle; means for operating said plunger; a body slidable relative to said plunger, a chamber being formed in said body, the head of said plunger operating in said chamber; a magazine for retaining a supply of bottle caps upon said body; a feeding tongue slidable upon said body to feed a bottle cap from said magazine into said chamber; means for operating said tongue by movement of said plunger; a shuttle slidable with said tongue upon said body to feed a line across said chamber below said cap; locking means provided upon said body which grips the free end of said line; locking means provided upon said shuttle which causes said line to move with said shuttle when said shuttle slides toward said chamber but allows said line to be paid out from said shuttle when said shuttle is moved away from said chamber; means for cutting off a piece of said line thus paid out; means for releasing the hold of said body line-locking means upon the free end of said line approximately at the same time said cutting means cuts said line; and a catch for retaining said body locking means in released position.

7. In a bottle capping machine the combination of: a plunger adapted to operate to force a cap into the mouth of a bottle; means for operating said plunger; a body slidable relative to said plunger, a chamber being formed in said body, the head of said plunger operating in said chamber; a magazine for retaining a supply of bottle caps upon said body; a feeding tongue slidable upon said body to feed a bottle cap from said magazine into said chamber; means for operating said tongue by movement of said plunger; a shuttle slidable with said tongue upon said body to feed a line across said chamber below said cap; locking means provided upon said body which grip the free end of said line; locking means provided upon said shuttle which causes said line to move with said shuttle when said shuttle slides toward said chamber but allows said line to be paid out from said shuttle when said shuttle is moved away from said cham- 1,7a1,eoo

ber; means for cutting off a piece of said line thus paid out; means for releasing the hold of said 'body line-locking means upon the free end of said line appoximately at the same time said cutting means cuts said line; and a catch for retaining said body locking means in released position, said catch being disengaged from retaining relation with sai body line-locking means by said shuttle when said shuttle moves to feed said line across said chamber.

8. In a bottle capping machine the 'combination of: a plunger; means for reciprocating said plunger over a given path; means for confining a closure in said path; feeding means for feeding a lift member across sai path beneath said closure; means for gripping an end of said lift member to preventv its withdrawal from said path by said feeding means; and means operated by said plunger. during the final portion of its downward stroke for actuating said gripping means to release said lift member.

9. In a bottle capping machine the combination of: a plunger; means for recipro-.

cating said plunger over a given path; means for confining a closure in said path; feeding means for feedin a lift member across sai path beneath sai closure; means for, gripping an end of said lift member to prevent its withdrawal from said path by said feeding means; means operated by =said plunger during the final portion of its downward stroke for actuating said gripping means to release said lift member; and means in the path of said feeding means for latching said gripping means in releasing position until engaged by said feeding means during the final portion of its feeding stroke and operated thereby to release the gripping means.

10. In a bottlecapping machine the combination of: a plunger; means for reciprocating said plunger over a g1ven path;

means for confining a closure 1n said path; feeding means for feeding a lift member across said path beneath said closure; means for gripping an end of said lift member to prevent its withdrawal from said path by said feeding means; means operated by said plunger durin the final portion of its downward stroke for actuating said gripping means to release said lift member; and means for retaining said gripping means in releasing position, said retaining means being in the path. of said feeding means and arranged to be disengaged from said gripping means by said feeding means during a final portion of the feeding stroke thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 18 day of May, 1926.

. CHARLES L. TURNER. 

